2017-03-02

After 18 years of serving as the University of Illinois Alumni Association’s President and CEO, Loren R. Taylor has stepped down from the position. On behalf of the UI Alumni Association Board of Directors, I extend our gratitude for his service to the UIC community and for the many contributions he made to the organization and the alumni base.

Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Andrea Ballinger, ’98 UI, MBA ’08 UI, has been named Interim President and CEO until a permanent replacement is appointed. I look forward to sharing the name of the new UI Alumni Association president with you in the next issue of UIC Alumni!

As I meet alumni of all ages whose involvement with their Alma Mater ranges from those who are active and engaged to those who are disconnected, I remind everyone of how they can impact the institution through their actions.

In this issue, you can read about how UIC alumnae Jamie Simone, MUPP ’04, and Dr. Julie Morita, MD ’90, ’86 UI, are making a difference at The Trust for Public Land and Chicago Dept. of Public Health, respectively (see pp. 24 and 22). One simple way that alumni can make a significant impact is by advocating on behalf of their Alma Mater through Illinois Connection—the legislative advocacy group for the University of Illinois System.

With reduced funding from the state, Illinois Connection has elevated its outreach and communication efforts. In 2016, more than 2,500 alumni participated in the following events and initiatives:

Grassroots communications: Alumni sent 20,000 emails to their elected officials expressing concerns about budget cuts and advocating for higher education funding.

Student and Alumni Lobby Days: Students and alumni from all three Universities joined together to deliver a unified message to lawmakers in support of University funding.

In-district meetings: Alumni met one-on-one with state legislators.

The UI Alumni Association also is leading an advocacy consortium of alumni associations representing all nine of the state’s higher education institutions, with the goal of advocating for public higher education. By joining forces with alumni from the state’s other public universities, we will have an even greater voice and be more effective in our messaging to elected officials about the value of public education.

As the largest university in Chicago, home to the state’s major public hospital and a national leader in providing access to underrepresented students, UIC plays an important role in the lives of people in Chicago and throughout the world. However, we need the support of our alumni to keep UIC strong and to pave the way for current and future students.

William Stratton

Chairman, Board of Directors

University of Illinois Alumni Association

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